Even the best in the world aren’t immune to pressure and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is proving exactly that. In Rajasthan Royals’ emphatic win over Mumbai Indians in Guwahati, the 14 year old sensation didn’t just score runs, he altered mindsets.
According to MI coach Mahela Jayawardene, the issue wasn’t just execution, but the pressure RR’s batters created. “We missed our lengths, we missed our lines,” he admitted after the loss, highlighting how even well laid plans fell apart under sustained assault.
While Yashasvi Jaiswal led the charge with a blistering unbeaten 77, Sooryavanshi’s rapid 39 off 14 balls injected early chaos. RR stormed to 80 in five overs, effectively deciding the game in that phase.
But the bigger story lay in the psychological battle. As Dale Steyn pointed out, Sooryavanshi has begun to instill fear even in elite bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah. A rare mis executed delivery from Bumrah, dispatched for six, symbolised that shift.
“When you’re thinking ‘don’t miss’, you often do,” Steyn explained, underlining how anticipation of punishment can disrupt even the most disciplined bowlers. Against Sooryavanshi, even marginal errors are costly.
Despite pulling things back slightly in the middle overs, MI had already conceded too much early. Their chase never truly gained momentum, with wickets falling regularly and no substantial partnership developing.
Jayawardene insisted the target wasn’t beyond reach, but acknowledged the lack of rhythm and early breakthroughs hurt MI’s chances. In the end, it wasn’t just about runs, it was about control, or the lack of it.
With players like Sooryavanshi redefining fearless batting, bowlers are being forced into uncomfortable territory. And when even someone like Bumrah is second guessing, you know something special and disruptive is unfolding.
